DOD pedals were made in the U.S.A. for most of their production runs. They were always in competition with the legendary Boss pedals and while some of them were pipped at the post, DOD did come up with some great and innovative pedals. Today the internet is full of used DOD FX for sale and it's very easy to grab a bargain, but just you wait, in ten years, like everything else that's vintage and analog their value will rise especially the more obscure and quirky ones. The construction is pretty solid overall but the knobs are poor, the plastic switch itself could be better while the battery lid is flimsy and easy to lose.
Get 'em while they're hot!
Get 'em while they're hot!
All the DOD pedals here I do not own, but I do own the ones which have a YouTube demo link after them. The others are show to illustrate the development of each.
DOD FX50-B OVERDRIVE PLUS
Overdrive and distortion must surely be the most sought after effects and no guitarist into rock can resist a good blast off a dirt box! Introducing the FX50-B. This pedal was produced from 1986 to 1997 and is a fine overdrive. The original 1986 version did not have the boost which was added in 1988 and continued until the production ended in 1997. These are pretty cheap used and are better than most of the lower end overdrives on the market today.
It's in the trees! The FX50-B 1997 version
Set the controls for the heart of the sun...
Side profile
A used DOD rarely comes with the battery
cover but who cares, a sweet box will do!
The sound from the FX50-B is warm and clear. I found it really great driving the clean channel of a JCM TSL602 tube amp. The boost gives extra boot and this is great for solos
especially with a neck humbucker.
The 'transition' 1988 version
The original 1986 version
OVERDRIVE PREAMP
The daddy of the FX50-B from 1984
and now a sought after pedal.
OVERDRIVE PREAMP / 250
Where it all began in 1979.
The classic classic!
Hear the FX50-B now!
DOD FX65 CHORUS
A chorus pedal must surely be the most popular of the modulating effects. If you see a player with one pedal on the floor, it's usually a chorus. There are millions of them out there and they come in all shapes and sizes. No guitar track in the 80s was without one! The FX65 was produced from 1985 to 1997 and while the 1985 and 1988 versions look similar there is in fact a a circuit revision. This analog chorus uses a
MN3007 BBD chip.
MN3007 BBD chip.
The DOD FX65 is a superb Chorus that does not sound bland or unexciting in anyway. No matter what settings you dial in, this little fellow delivers a rich, clear sound. I picked this up for only €15.00 believe it or not. A bargain or what?
The Chorus pedal's on the grass! The 1988 version.
Stereo outputs
The controls.
The 1990 version
The FX60
This was produced from 1982 until 1993 in many guises
and is in fact a fine analog pedal for anyone on a budget.
The 1982 FX 60
1989 version
Hear the FX65 now!
DOD 225 MASTER SWITCH
At a glance one would be forgiven for thinking that this is a pedal that does nothing. That is kind of true unless you explain what it is for, and use it appropriately. A Master Switch can be used for a) sending a single instrument to two amps, b) two instruments to one amp, and c) turning on/off an effects chain. The DOD 225 unlike the Boss PSM-5 did not supply to other FX units but even today this can be used as an A/B box so it is a handy useless box to have around!
Produced from 1988 - 1991
Diagram Print
Alternate diagram print. Study it hard!
SEE THE 225 IN ACTION NOW!
DOD FX35 OCTOPLUS
Octave divides have always been a part of the sound of Rock guitar but in the mid 80s when Paul Young's bassist Pino Palladino played his fretless through a Boss OC-2 creating a whole new sonic palet underneath scalding hot virtuosity and chops, every bass player must have been in awe of that sound as it is pretty addictive. The DOD only goes down one suboctave (the OC-2 went down two) but has tone control to adjust to the players taste. This effect is for playing single notes chords will warble, and tracking can be a pain if you don't use a compressor before it.
Octoplussy! Produced from 1986 - 1994
The dashboard!
FX10 BI-FET PREAMP
The 1986 version.
HEAR IT NOW WITH GUITAR!
HEAR IT NOW WITH BASS!
DOD FX55-B SUPRA DISTORTION
The FX55-B was produced from 1986 - 1998 replacing the FX55. It's circuitry is similar to the FX50-B Overdrive Plus but has a greater distortion effect. The distortion is not particularly strong when the settings are all at 12 O'Clock, but when you hit the 'Boost'
things get hot, with lots of feedback on tap. The sound is warm but when you turn the tone up to high it gets a bit nasal and not too far away from the Boss XT-2 Xtortion. This sound is one I really like and I roll back the guitar tone for a honky, super smooth moulten tone that could melt the walls!
The 1995 version
The helm!
1987 Version
The FX55. A beauty!
SEE THE FX55-B IN ACTION NOW!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpz2vp7P9W4&feature=c4-overview&list=UU5s0pTM1NTM7ngNdtc6L4Cw
DOD FX70 STEREO FLANGER
The FX70 was introduced in 1982 and is a mild flanger in comparison
to it's contemporaries at the time. There is only two controls but it does offer stereo output but with a smaller jack plug strangely! I love pedals with just two controls as you have less to deal with and you can tweak magic from them by meddling around with all they offer. This has a kind of mid 70s sound to it and I like that. Think of Peter Frampton, The Eagles and Wings. It's a cool machine indeed!
SEE THE FX70 IN ACTION NOW!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVtBbZMT11Y
DOD FX56-B SUPER AMERICAN METAL
This was the successor to the American Metal and it adds 2 band EQ which makes all the difference. This pedal has got the high gain balls for metal and chunk. They can be picked up used very cheaply and they are a lot of fun, more fun than the sterile Boss MT-2 in my mind. It really fattens out a Strat with three single coil pickups and gives it enough grind to start a flour mill. The presence can help to take the muddiness out of a neck humbucker however when turned to far it can irritate and squeal. Overall this is a hard-ass distortion with warmth, big bass and the DOD toughness that won't let you down.
SEE THE FX5B-B IN ACTION NOW!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qx0GhcSWlc
FX-17 WAH / VOLUME
The FX 17 is a three function pedal that is built like a tank from steel.
It is a Wah, a Volume and a Voltage Controller. I was never a Wah person myself
and I found this particular Wah a bit weedy. I mainly used it for the Volume Pedal.
It is a Wah, a Volume and a Voltage Controller. I was never a Wah person myself
and I found this particular Wah a bit weedy. I mainly used it for the Volume Pedal.
The heavily armored FX17
One button switching
Voltage Controller
The trimpots for the Wah sweep can be adjusted with
a Jewellers screwdriver through this tiny holes.
I have never touched these!
The switch on the right is for bypassing the Wah
SEE IT IN ACTION NOW!
FOOD FOR THOUGHT!
This MFS 220 foot switch could be used to make a pedal
if you use the casing and paint over the text!
YJM308 PREAMP OVERDRIVE
I'm not into Malmsteem, I've never listened to his music, but I use this pedal as a clean boost
for clean lead when playng live. It just gives my signal the boost it needs for solos. The sound is pretty thin, so don't expect wall-melting grind. One no no is the lack of an indicator light for On/Off. I leave it plugged in accidently and the battery drains, so I now use a power supply and because it's DOD I can't use the Boss adapter daisychain. I have to use a separate adapter as the socket is different. You can mod these for a fatter, fuller tone and I may do that down the track.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28rL9Gt2x30
This is a gem. Full stop. Bi-Fet stands for Bipolar Field Effect Transistor. What is it? I don't know but what I do know is this pedal was made to enhance piezo pickup instruments with it's 27db output but most guitarists use it as a clean boost and that it does very well adding sparkle and clarity to a clean Tele or Strat. It can also drive an overloaded amp into outer space with nuances and tones to burn. The Tone is flat at 12 O'Clock, counterclockwise gives more bass while clockwise adds more treble. This is a sought after secret weapon for players now and I don't know how I lived without it!
FX20-B
Why did I buy this? Did I need another phaser? Not really but I don't own a stereo phaser so what the hell. It's mild, gives some nice tremolo effects and it's made in USA! But in saying that I recorded a sample into my PC in stereo and it sounded superb. While it may not be one for the board it's certainly one for messing around with on a rainy day!
FX80-B
The 80s Compressor is a nice unit with plenty of squeeze!
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